The United Nations has said it will continue to be in touch with the leaders of ruling Awami League and the BNP in order to resolve the ongoing political crisis.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary general, made the statement in response to a query on Bangladesh's current political situation at the regular press briefing on Thursday.
"We'll continue to be in touch with the leaders of the two main parties, trying to make sure that they can resolve their differences," he said.
He said UN officials have repeatedly visited Bangladesh and were trying to meet the political leaders to make sure that the crisis can be resolved peacefully.
Mentioning that the UN has made its concern over the situation, Farhan Haq said: "We have continually encouraged and continue to encourage the authorities to allow for peaceful protest and for the right to peaceful assembly."
So far, more than 60 people have died and scores have been injured in different parts of the country in violence during the BNP-led alliance enforced non-stop blockade.
Of those, a large number of arson attacks are being conducted on highways. Hundreds of vehicles, including those belonging to law-enforcers, were burnt and attacked.
Following the political unrest, the United States has also called upon the government of Bangladesh to provide space necessary for peaceful political activity and urged all political parties to instruct their members to refrain from violence.
US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf made the call in a statement issued on Friday.
The BNP led 20-party alliance has been enforcing a non-stop nationwide blockade since January 5 in protest against the “confinement” of the party chief Khaleda Zia.
Khaleda Zia had been kept confined to her Gulshan party office since January 3 ahead of a party rally, marking “Democracy Killing Day.”
On January 12, the security was relaxed.
But Khaleda never came out; instead she said in a press conference that she was going to stay there and the blockade would continue unless the government took the first steps towards solution.
The relaxed blockade is underway across the country amid sporadic incidents of violence, arson attacks, vandalism and arrests of BNP members.